Compound rail.



WWWWWWWWWW 0 MMMMMMMMM L.

. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5, 1912. 1,178,031. Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

2 SSSSSSSSSS n1.

WILLIAM H. SELLEW, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

COMPOUND RAIL.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented A 4 1916.

Application filed. October 5, 1912. Serial No. 724,142.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. SELLEW,

a citizen of the United States of America,

residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Compound Rails, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to composite or compound rails and it is the object of the invention to obtain a construction which is capable of safely carrying the increased axle loads incident to'the economic development of the modern railroad.

It is a further object to obtain a. construction which may be readily laid and the members of which may be rolled by methods at present in use.

Still another object is to avoid rail joint 'difliculties and to increase the life of the rail by the provision of a double wearing surface.

*With these and other objects in view the inventionconsists in various features of construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings: Figure lis a cross sec-- -t1on through one construction of my compound rail: Fig. 2 is a similar view show mg a modified construction: Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the manner in which the sections are supported and clamped by the rail- .chair, and also showing the break-winche- "tween the several sections; and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and 2, showing still another modification. Fig. 5 is a view showing the manner of insulating the rail sections from each other.

In detail, my improved construction comprises a pair of supporting or girder rail beams A and B, and a rail-head C- clamped between and supported by said girders.

These members are separately formed and may therefore be of different materials, a higher percentage of carbon or other hardeningelement being used in the head section,-which is subjected to the wear andimpact of the wheels, while the girder sections are preferably of a steel low in carbon, and may be made ductile enough to avoid all danger of brittleness.

To obtain the maximum of strength and etiiciencv it is desirable that the several sectionsof the compound rail should operate fas -aunit. when. under load; while, on the other hand, to compensate for the expan- V sion and contraction due to change in temperature, and to prevent buckling of the rails, it is desirable to permitindepen'dent movement of the sections when released from load. These results are obtained by a construction in which the sections. are frictionally bound or united to each other. when under load, while normally their friction is limited so as to permit independent movement.

In detail, the girdersections A and B' are each formed with a base section D. a vertical web section E, and a top or head section F. The latter is provided with a slightly inclined upper bearing-face Ur for contacting with a correspondingly.inclined lower bearing face H on the section C. Beyond this bearing-face G the head F is cut away to ried into the girder sections through the contacting faces G and H, as already described; while any upward stress is taken care of by opposed bearing faces.

As shown in Fig. 1, these opposed bearing-faces are formed respectivelv upon the upper face of the lower head C and the lower faces of the heads F; but in the construction shown in Fig.9. the opposed bearing isformed by an inclined face I on the web C and complementary face upon the head F. In the latter construction the lower head C is normally spaced from and out of contact with the head F, which, however,

overlaps said head C 'and prevents any accidental disengagement. To secure the-sections to each other. while permitting of quick assembly and laying of the track, I preferablyfemploy rail-chairs J, which perform the further function of clamping yokes for uniting the rail sections.

vided with a lug K for'overlapping and securing the base D of the, girder section;

.imdisfurtherprovided with an inclined upper face L, which extends beneath and forms a supporting bearing for the head F of said girders. The other jaw section J is spaced from the girders and forms a bearing for a wedge-block K, preferably formed of wood. The chairs are alternately reversed in position so that the supporting jaw J 2 is first upon one side and then the other of the girders. L are securing screws or other fastening devices for attaching the chairs to the tie. In the construction just described the girders are clamped against the rail section C, so that they hold the latter in position, and the load sustained by the rail is carried in each chair not only through the webs of the girders but also through the jaws J 2 which act as additional braces. Creeping of the rail when under load is prevented by a frictional engagement of the same with the girders, but as an auxiliary guard against creeping I preferably form registering recesses M and M in the heads F of the girders and webs C of the rail, in which anchoring pins N are placed. In addition to the chairs the girder sections may be cross-connected by bolts 0 passing transversely through the web portions thereof.

WVhere railroads are equipped with the electric block signal system, it is necessary to overcome the electrical continuity of the rails at certain intervals. Ths can be accomplished with my improved construction by placing fiber, mica, or other insulating material P between the bearings upon the section C and its supporting girder, together with suitable insulation at the ends of the section and on the fastenings between the girders. I

WVith the construction as described, the members of my improved compound rail maybe assembled asthe track is laid, the joints between abutting sections being equally distributed and overlapped by the adjacent members. Nhen under load the friction between the surfaces H and G is in excess of the longitudinal shear stress, tending to move said surfaces in relation to each other, and consequently the several members of the compound rail operate as a unit. On the other hand, when relieved from stress the friction between these parts is not excessive and will permit relative movement to compensate for expansion and contraction, without setting up undue stresses in the rail or causing it to buckle or deflect out of correct gage or alinement.

In the mod'fied construction shown in Fig. 4, an inclined bearing I is formed near the base of the web section of the member C,

which facilitates the rolling of this member. This bearing is engaged by complementary bearing faces I on the member F, the greater portion of the surface of the web being out .of contact ithsaid member.

To better hold the adjacent ends of the sec tion G in alinement, a short length thereof may be formed with the bearings I and I cut away and engaging bearings 1 and I substituted therefor. These bearings I and I are similar to the bearings shown in Fig. 1 and are respectively upon the lower head C and the lower face of the portion F.

The canting of the girder sections as shown in F igs. 2 and i permits of a slight yielding under a sudden impact or hammer blow, such as produced by a flattened wheel, and therefore avoids danger of breaking'the rail. This is particularly advantageous when the ballast is frozen.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A compound rail comprising a pair of girder sections and a wheel-engaging section supported by and arranged between said girder sections, and achair for supporting said girder sections, constituting a clamp for binding the same to said wheel-engaging section.

2. A compound rail comprising a pair of girder sections, a wheel-engaging section arranged between and supported by said girder sections, a chair for supporting said girder sections and attaching the same to the tie, and a Wedge forming the clamping means between said chair and girder sections and also constituting a clamping means between said girder sections and wheel-en'- gaging section.

3. A compound rail comprising a pair of girder sections, a Wheel-engaging section arranged between and supported by said girder sections, a chair for engaging said girder sections having a clamping jaw extending upward and forming a bracing support for the head of the girder, and a Wedge for clamping said chair to said girder, and

also constituting the clamping means for,

said girder to said wheel-engaging section.

4. A compound rail comprising apair of girder sections arranged in upwardlyconverging planes, a wheel-engaging sec- TOO tion arranged between and supported by said girder sections, and a chair for supporting said girder'sections, constituting clamping means for the same upon said wheel-engaging section.

5. A compound rail comprising a pair of girder sections and a wheel-engaging section arranged therebetween and supported thereupon, said sections being arranged with their ends in diiferent transverse planes, and chairs for supporting said girder sections, constituting the clamping means for the same upon said wheel-engaging section, and also clamping means for the overlapping sections of adjacent rails. I j

6. A compound rail comprising a pair of girder sections and a wheel-engaging section arranged therebetween and supported thereon, and chairs for supporting said 1 80 girder sections constituting the clamping and also the clamping means for the over- 10 means for the same upon said wheel-engaglapping sections of adjacent rails.

ing section- In testimony whereof I afiix my signature "I;1 A compounddrail fiOITIIPIiSiIIg a pair of in presence of two Witnesses. 5 gir er sections an a W ee -engaging section arranged therebetween and supported there- WILLIAM bELLEW' on, and chairs for supporting said girder Witnesses: sections constituting the clamping means for WM. J. BELKNAP, the same upon saidwheel-engaging section,. JAMES P. BARRY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "commissioner or ratents, Washington, I). G. 

